Something Broken

22 February, 2012

Boys and broken bike. Guayaquil, Ecuador. 2011.

When questions of “why bad things happen to good people” arise, they grow from faulty presuppositions. The thought that God allowed, or worse, ordained some tragedy leaves out the character sin. It is often thought that sin requires a volitional act in every situation. Actually, the only volitional act sin needed to enter the world was that committed by Adam. Eve was deceived, but Adam sinned.

And so, sin entered the world, a creeping death and decay that we see in the actions of men from tyrannical despots murdering millions to the toddler who lies about taking a cookie. (Assuredly, I am not equating the two actions apart from labeling them both as sin.) However, it is often overlooked that sin also reveals itself in the decay of a fallen leaf and the oxidation of the metal of a child’s bike.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. – Romans 8:18-23*

As can be read in Romans, the weight of sin falls upon the creation as well as the creature. The Third law of thermodynamics describes the inherent entropy in every natural system. Just the fact that systems breakdown is evidence of sin in and of itself. The simple presence of instability is antithesis to the character of God, there is nothing fleeting in the character of God.

These boys, dismayed over a broken pedal, show feelings we all have when things fall to pieces. A broken pedal, a lost job, a heart-breaking diagnosis; are all evidences, great and small, that point us to God and the truth that this world was never intended as a final destination. Thank God.